Electric switch



H. P. DONLE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2I, I921- Patented Aug 8,

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HAROLD POTTER DONLE, F MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T0 CONNECT- ICUTTELEPHONE AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, 0F MERIDEN, CON- NECTICUT,A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT. 1 h

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed. May 21,

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HAROLD P. Down, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Meriden, Connecticut, have invented a new anduseful Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to switches intended to be used forlighting and ignition work, but it will be obvious that the particularuse of the switch is immaterial.

The main object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, but reliablemechanism, which may be readily operated. The invention relatesparticularly in the construction and arrangement of parts facilitatingmanufacture and assembly, and at the same time en suring proper strengthand insulation.

Fig. 1 is a sectional view and side eleva-. tion of a switch embodyingimprovements of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section and plan View.

Fig. at is a perspective view showing the parts of the operatingmechanism separated.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modification.

The switch mechanism proper is preferably mounted in a body or housing 6formed of insulating material and having a central passage or recess forthe movable parts of .the switch. The switch may have one or morestationary contacts, such as 7, preferably of a resilient character. Themovable' switch member 8 is adapted to engage these stationary contacts.The stationary contacts may he secured in place by studs or eyelets,such as 9, forming one pole or terminal of the switch. The movableswitch member is preferably guided in; a cross bar 10 at the rearwhichforms the other terminal or pole of the switch.

The operating handle 11 is pivoted on a in 12 which rests in notches orbearings 13 in the front of the body of the switch. This handle and thebearing pin are held in place by the front plate 14 which is secured tothe body 6 in a suitable manner, for instance, by one or more screwssuch as 15.

The operating handle is connected to the movable switch piece 16. Thehandle preferably has two fingers 17-17 spaced apart from each othermember by an insulating- 1921. Serial no. 471,437.

connector. The

to receive the lug 18 of the 19-19 which fit connector also has flangeson the opposite as to hold the parts in their proper relative positions.The ends of the flanges 19 have bearing surfaces 20 engaging the pin 12adjacent the handle. The opposite end of the connector has flanges 21which fit on opposite sides of the contact member 8 and are providedwith hearing notches 22 for the hinge pin 23 of the switch member 8. Thespring 24 which surrounds the arm 25 of the switch member 8, isinterposed between the head of the switch member and the stationaryguide bar 10 so as to hold the contact member yieldingly in the positionof' Fig. 1. VVhenthe operating handle or lever 11 is depressed, thelower finger 17 exerts pressure on the underside of the part 18 of theconnector 16 so as to swing the connector upwardly about the pivot pin12, carrying with it the hinge pin 23 and the switch member 8, andcompressing the spring 24. When the pin 23 passesabove the line ofcenters of the pin 12 and the bar 10, the pressure spring 24 tendsto'push the contact member 8 upwardly and hold it there when the handleis released.

It will be seen that when the cover plate 14 is removed, the operatinghandle or lever and its pin 12 may be withdrawn from the front of theinsulating body 6 together with the connector 16, the movable switchmemher 8 and the spring 2 1, and that the pin 12, connector 16, pin 23,switch member 8 and spring 24 may then all be separated without' the useof tools. Obviously, the parts may. be readily assembled in the reverseorder without the use of tools.

By making the projection 18 of the connector 16 somewhat smaller thanthe space between the fingers 17 as shown in Fig. 5, it is possible toallow relative freedom oi motion between the connector 16' and theoperating handle or lever 11, so that when the handle is moved, theswitch member may-move under impulse of its spring with-- out control bythe operator, thus producing what is commonly termed a quick breakaction.

I claim: v

1. In an electric switch, an insulating body having a passage extendingfrom the front to the rear thereof with hearing notches in the sides ofthe fingers 17 so a movable member pivot-ally connected-to front. across bar in the rear. av relatively stationary contact in said recess.a movable contact guided by said bar. a spring interposed between saidbar and said contact, an operating handle pivoted in said bearingnotches. an insulating connector interposed between said handle and saidmovable contactmember. and a face plate holding said handle. saidconnector and said movable con tact inplace.

2. In an electric switch. a housing, a pivoted operating handle havingtwo spaced apart fingers. an insulating member having a portioninterposed between said fingers and pivoted on the same axis as saidhandle, a movable switch member hinged to said insulating member andmovable therewith. aresilient stationar switch contact adapted to beengaged by said movable contact, a guide for said movable contact and aspring interposed between said guide and a portion of said movablecontact.

3. Inan electric switch, a housing. an operating handle. a pivottherefor. an insulating member having an open bearing engaging saidpivot, connecting means between said operating handle and saidinsulating member whereby said insulating member is moved by saidhandle. said insulating member having open notch bearings, a movablemember, a hinge pin for said movable member seated in said open notchbearings, and a spring cooperating with said movable member. v

4. I11 an electric switch, a pivoted operating handle having spacedapart fingers. an insulating member having a portion interposed betweensaid fingers and having side flanges embracing the sides of saidfingers,

said insulating member. said insulating member having side flangesembracing opposite faces of said movable member.

5. In an electric switch. an insulating housing having a recess openingat the front. a circuit terminal at the rear. a spring contact connectedto said terminal and arranged in said recess, a face plate for the frontof said housing, a crossbar atthe rear of said housing. a finger leverpivoted in said housing and projecting through said face plate. acontactmember guided in said crossbar,

a spring carried by said contact member and,

pressing against said crossbar. and an insulating block connected withsaid leverto oscillate thei ewith and pivoted to said contact member,

6. I11 an electric switch. a pivoted operating handle. an insulatingmember carried thereby and having spaced apart flanges with open notchbearings. a movable member pivoted in said bearings.a guide for one endof said movable member and a spring inter posed between said guide and apart of .said movable member.

7. In an electric switch. an insulating housing. a. finger lever, apivot therefor said finger lever having forked arms projecting into saidhousing. an insulating block having side flanges on opposite sides ofsaid forked arms with open bearing surfaces engaging said pivot and alug located between said forked arms. aswitch member pivoted tosaid'insulating block, lateral abutments for said switch member, and aspring for pressing said switch member against one of said abutments andthus holding said insulating block in connection with said finger leverand its pivot.

HAROLD POTTER DONLE.

